Last year director Garry Marshall hit upon a devilishly canny approach to the romantic comedy. A more polished refinement of Hal Needham’s experimental Cannonball Run method it called for assembling a gaggle of famous faces from across the demographic spectrum and pairing them with a shallow day-in-the-life narrative packed with gobs of gooey sentiment. A cynical strategy to be sure but one that paid handsome dividends: Valentine’s Day earned over $56 million in its opening weekend surpassing even the rosiest of forecasts. Buoyed by the success Marshall and his screenwriter Katherine Fugate hastily retreated to the bowels of Hades to apply their lucrative formula to another holiday historically steeped in romantic significance and New Year’s Eve was born.
Set in Manhattan on the last day of the year New Year’s Eve crams together a dozen or so canned scenarios into one bloated barely coherent mass of cliches. As before Marshall’s recruited an impressive ensemble of minions to do his unholy bidding including Oscar winners Hilary Swank Halle Berry and Robert De Niro the latter luxuriating in a role that didn’t require him to get out of bed. High School Musical’s Zac Efron is paired up with ‘80s icon Michelle Pfeiffer – giving teenage girls and their fathers something to bond over – while Glee’s Lea Michele meets cute with a pajama-clad Ashton Kutcher. There’s Katherine Heigl in a familiar jilted-fiance role Sarah Jessica Parker as a fretful single mom and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges as the most laid-back cop in New York. Sofia Vergara and Hector Elizondo mine for cheap laughs with thick accents – his fake and hers real – and Jessica Biel and Josh Duhamel deftly mix beauty with blandness. Fans of awful music will delight in the sounds of Jon Bon Jovi straining against type to play a relevant pop musician.
The task of interweaving the various storylines is too great for Marshall and New Year’s Eve bears the distinct scent and stain of an editing-room bloodbath with plot holes so gaping that not even the brightest of celebrity smiles can obscure them. But that’s not the point – it never was. You should know better than to expect logic from a film that portrays 24-year-old Efron and 46-year-old Parker as brother-and-sister without bothering to explain how such an apparent scientific miracle might have come to pass. Marshall wagers that by the time the ball drops and the film’s last melodramatic sequence has ended prior transgressions will be absolved and moviegoers will be content to bask in New Year's Eve's artificial glow. The gambit worked for Valentine's Day; this time he may not be so fortunate.

The story of the most dominant racehorse of all time does not easily fit into the standard inspirational sports flick mold. Such films typically require its protagonists to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles be they competitive (Hoosiers) personal (The Natural) societal (Ali) or some combination of all three (Remember the Titans). But by all accounts the greatest challenges to Secretariat capturing of the 1973 Triple Crown were not rival horses — indeed Secretariat had no true rival — but a pair of slow starts and an abscess. And abscesses — apologies to dermatologists — simply aren’t all that effective as dramatic devices.
Lacking most of the vital ingredients of the traditional underdog movie formula Disney’s Secretariat is forced to synthesize them. Its screenplay written by Mike Rich and based rather loosely on the book Secretariat: The Making of a Champion by William Nack adopts a conventional save-the-farm framework: When her parents pass away within months of each other Denver housewife Penny Tweedy (Diane Lane) is advised to sell off her family’s Virginia-based Meadow Stables a beautiful but unprofitable horse-breeding enterprise in order to pay the onerous inheritance taxes levied by the state. But Penny her deceased father’s hackneyed horse-inspired counsel fresh in her mind (“You’ve got to run your own race ” etc. etc.) is loath to depart with such a cherished heirloom. So she concocts a scheme just idiotic enough to work betting the farm — literally — that her new horse Big Red in whom she has an almost Messianic faith will win the Kentucky Derby Preakness and Belmont races in succession.
Of course Big Red under the stage name Secretariat goes on to do just that but only after the film subjects us to nearly two hours of manufactured melodrama. Lane grasping all-too conspicuously for awards consideration treats every line as if it were the St. Crispin’s Day speech. Her character Penny exhibits a hair-trigger sensitivity to the sounds of skeptics and naysayers bursting forth with a polite rebuke and a stern sermon for anyone who dares doubt her crusade from the trash-talking owner of a rival horse to her annoyingly pragmatic husband (Dylan Walsh).
Lane isn’t alone in her grandiosity. The entire production reeks of it as director Randall Wallace lines the story with fetid chunks of overwrought Oscar bait like so many droppings in an untended stable even using Old Testament quotations and gospel music to endow Penny’s quest with biblical significance. John Malkovich is kind enough to inject some mirth into the heavy-handed proceedings hamming it up as Secretariat’s trainer Lucien Laurin a French-Canadian curmudgeon with an odd sartorial palette. It’s not enough however to alleviate the discomfort of witnessing the film's quasi-Sambo depiction of Secretariat’s famed groom Eddie Sweat (Nelsan Ellis) which reaches its cringeworthy zenith when Sweat runs out to the track on the eve of the Belmont Stakes and exclaims to no one in particular that “Big Red done eat his breakfast this mornin’!!!” Bagger Vance would be proud. Whether or not Ellis’ portrayal of Sweat’s cadence and mannerisms is accurate (and for all I know it may well be) the character is too thinly drawn to register as anything more than an amiable simple-minded servant.
Animal lovers will be happy to know that the horses in Secretariat come off looking far better than their human counterparts and not just because they’re alloted the best dialogue. In the training and racing sequences Wallace effectively conveys the strength and majesty of the fearsome animals drawing us into the action and creating a strong element of suspense even though the final result is a fait accompli. It's too bad the rest of the film never makes it out of the gate.

Friday's Comic-Con Schedule Highlights
We just got our hands on the Friday (July 23) schedule for Comic-Con 2010 in San Diego, and there's just as much delicious geek-fare to entertain you as there was on Thursday's schedule! Moreover, FRIDAY is STAR WARS DAY at Comic-Con!
Even if you didn't manage to nab a ticket to the convention this year, you can still revel in all its glory here at Hollywood.com, where we will continue to keep you up to date with all the event's entertainment-industry news. Full Friday schedule here.
10:00-11:00 Comedy Central: Ugly Americans
David M. Stern (showrunner and executive producer), Dan Powell (executive producer), Jeff Poliquin (supervising producer), Devin Clark (producer and series creator), Aaron Augenblick (director of animation), Matt Oberg (voice of Mark Lilly), Kurt Metzger (voice of Randall Skeffington), and Randy Pearlstein (voice of Leonard) take you behind the scenes at this animated series sensation. Featuring a sneak peek of the new season, Q&amp;A, and more. One audience member selected will be drawn into an upcoming episode! Room 25ABC
10:15-11:15 Aloha, Earth!
Lost castaway found! Battlestar Cylon becomes human! Star Trek writers return from space! A supernatural force has drawn some of sci-fi's giants back to Earth­ -- and they're all gathering on a beautiful and mysterious island in the Pacific. It's Hawaii Five-0, a modern-day reimagining of one of television's most beloved and iconic classics. The epic series, one of the most anticipated new shows of the season, will explore the origins of the Five-0 team and build on an already rich mythology. Executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Star Trek) and Peter M. Lenkov (24), director Len Wiseman (Underworld), and stars Daniel Dae Kim (Lost) and Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica) present an exclusive sneak peek at the series and an in depth discussion on how they plan to marry their genre sensibilities with a classic police procedural. Room 6BCF
10:30-11:30 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Screening and Q&amp;A
The Caped Crusader swings back into San Diego as Batman: The Brave and the Bold returns to Comic-Con for its third consecutive year, with an advance screening of an upcoming episode as well as a lively discussion with voice of Batman Diedrich Bader (Surf's Up), executive producer Sam Register (Teen Titans), producers James Tucker (Justice League Unlimited), and Michael Jelenic (The Batman), and voice director Andrea Romano (Superman Doomsday). As a special bonus for fans, the panel will also screen the world premiere trailer for the upcoming and highly anticipated Cartoon Network/Warner Bros. Animation series Young Justice...don't miss this Comic-Con exclusive! From Warner Bros. Animation, Batman: The Brave and the Bold airs Fridays at 7:30 pm ET/PT on Cartoon Network, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold—Season 1, Part 1 will be released on DVD August 17. Room 6A
10:30-11:30 Stargate Universe
Follow your Destiny. Catch the Syfy Stargate Universe panel, featuring Robert Carlyle (Dr. Nicholas Rush), David Blue (Eli Wallace), Ming Na (Camile Wray), and Louis Ferreira (Colonel Everett Young), moderated by Robert Cooper (series co-creator). Ballroom 20
10:30-11:30 Summit Entertainment: Drive Angry 3D
A vengeful father hunts down the people who brutally killed his daughter and kidnapped her baby in the newest film shot in 3D from the writer and director of My Bloody Valentine 3D, starring Nicolas Cage, William Fichtner, Billy Burke, and Amber Heard. Join the cast and filmmakers as they showcase never-before-seen footage of this high-octane, blood-spattered road trip through hell! Hall H
11:00-12:00 Bob's Burgers
Creator/executive producer Loren Bouchard (Home Movies) and executive producer Jim Dauterive (King of the Hill) introduce animation fans to their hilarious new series premiering on Fox in January. There will be a screening of never-before-seen footage followed by a Q&amp;A. Room 25ABC
11:00-11:45 Dimension Films: Piranha 3D
Dimension Films presents never-before-seen footage of Piranha 3D, which hits theatres August 20. Director/producer Alex Aja (The Hills Have Eyes), producer Mark Canton (300), producer Gregory Levasseur, and executive producer Alix Taylor are joined by cast members Elisabeth Shue, Jerry O'Connell, Jessica Szohr (Gossip Girl), Steven R. McQueen (Vampire Diaries), Kelly Brook, and Adam Scott for a sneak peek at Piranha 3D and a Q&amp;A! Hall H
11:30-12:30 AMC's The Walking Dead
Andrew Lincoln (Love Actually), Jon Bernthal (The Pacific), Sarah Wayne Callies (Prison Break), Laurie Holden (The Mist), Emma Bell (Law &amp; Order), series creator/director/executive producer Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption), executive producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator), executive producer Robert Kirkman (creator/writer of The Walking Dead comic), makeup artist Greg Nicotero, and Joel Stillerman (AMCs senior VP) discuss the making of AMC's series The Walking Dead, based on the Image comic book series created and written by Robert Kirkman, premiering in October on AMC. Room 6BCF
11:30-12:30 State of the Animation Industry
ASIFA-Hollywood's annual overview of trends in animation. In this turbulent economy, how is the animation industry faring? Are games taking up the slack? Will 2D survive? Moderated by Tom Sito (Shrek, The Lion King), the panel includes Raul Garcia (Aladdin, The Old Woman and the Reaper), Joe Haidar (Beauty and the Beast, Alvin the Squeakquel), Beth Sleven (Night at the Museum, Iron Man 2), and Sean Petrilak (Kung Fu Panda TV show, Lady Gaga and Kanye West videos). Room 9
11:30-12:30 Caprica
Syfy presents an exclusive glimpse into the future of humanity. Featuring Alessandra Torresani (Zoe Graystone), Sasha Roiz (Sam Adama), Ronald D. Moore (co-creator/executive producer), and David Eick (executive producer) and moderated by Geoff Boucher of the Los Angeles Times. Ballroom 20
11:45-12:45 Cartoon Network: Comedy Animation
What time is it? It's Adventure Time with special guests Pendleton Ward (creator), Jeremy Shada (voice of Finn), John DiMaggio (voice of Jake), and Tom Kenny (voice of Ice King). Fans will also get an exclusive look at what's coming this fall from Cartoon Network Studios, including a sneak peek at Regular Show with creator J. G. Quintel. Room 6A
12:00-1:00 Neighbors from Hell
Executive producers Pam Brady (South Park) and Mireille Soria (Madagascar) screen a never-before-seen episode of their newly launched TBS animated series and take questions from the audience, along with their all-star voice cast including Molly Shannon (SNL), Patton Oswalt (My Weakness Is Strong, Ratatouille), Will Sasso (MADtv), Kurtwood Smith (That '70s Show), David Soren (DreamWorks animation veteran), Kyle McCulloch (Mr. Wong), and Tracey Fairaway (Chicago 8). Room 25ABC
12:00-1:00 Skyline
Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, and Rogue Pictures present an exclusive look at the sci-fi thriller Skyline, directed and produced by the Brothers Strause (Alien vs. Predator: Requiem), whose company Hydraulx has provided visual effects for Avatar, Iron Man 2, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and 300. In Skyline, strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame, where an extraterrestrial force proceeds to swallow the entire human population off the face of the earth. Colin and Greg Strause unveil an exclusive Comic-Con trailer and scenes from Skyline, along with stars Donald Faison (Scrubs), Eric Balfour (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 24), David Zayas (The Expendables, Dexter), Scottie Thompson (Star Trek), and Brittany Daniel (Club Dread) and moderated by Drew McWeeney. Hall H
12:45-1:45 The Big Bang Theory
It's "Anything Can Happen Friday" at Comic-Con as The Big Bang Theory -- which kicks off a new night of comedy on Thursdays for CBS this fall -- returns to Comic-Con with a special screening and Q&amp;A featuring the show's creators and stars. Resident Big Bang alum Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation) moderates a lively discussion featuring executive producers Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men) and Bill Prady (Dharma &amp; Greg), as well as series stars Johnny Galecki (Roseanne), Jim Parsons (Garden State), Kaley Cuoco (Charmed), Simon Helberg (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story), and Kunal Nayyar (NCIS). From Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television, The Big Bang Theory will air Thursdays at 8 pm ET/PT this fall on the CBS Television Network, and The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Third Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 14. Ballroom 20
1:00-2:00 Motion Picture and Television Production Designers
Motion picture and television production designers might take us to a 1930s prison break, a '50s drag race, a '70s disco, or even today's Comic-Con. Or, like this year's panel, they'll take you to unknown worlds that beggar the imagination—fully realized worlds with alternate architecture, interior design, cars, weapons, and more. In collaboration with a multi-person, highly skilled art department, they will conceive, hire, supervise, and even try to stay on budget as they create whole new worlds of the imagination. Panelists include moderator John Muto (Terminator 2: 3D), Mimi Gramatky (10,000 Days), Barry Robison (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader), Kirk Petruccelli (Blade), and Oliver Scholl (The Time Machine). Room 32AB
1:00-2:00 Super
Writer/director James Gunn (Slither), stars Rainn Wilson (The Office), Liv Tyler (Lord of the Rings), Nathan Fillion (Firefly), and Michael Rooker (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer), and producers Ted Hope (Adventureland) and Miranda Bailey (The Squid and the Whale) reveal footage from their latest feature production Super, including the first peek at Rainn and Ellen Page's costume design. Super is a hyper-real and shockingly funny look at the extremely violent antics of a down-on-his-luck man as he attempts to win his wife back from a glamorous drug dealer by teaming up with a psychopathic teen to become costumed crimefighters. Hall H
2:00-3:00 Star Wars Day: Inside the Force
Lucasfilm Animation artists Dave Filoni (supervising director), Joel Aron (CG supervisor), and Kilian Plunkett (lead designer), take you on an in-depth journey from script to screen, showing how an episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars is made and demonstrate the transformation of the animation style from Season One to the upcoming Season Three. Room 7AB
2:00-2:45 Bones
Creator and executive producer Hart Hanson and star David Boreanaz are on hand to discuss what went down in Season 5 of Bones and the cliffhanger finale as well as what's in store for Booth and Brennan in the exciting new Season 6! The panel will be followed with a Q&amp;A session. Ballroom 20
2:15-3:15 The Cape: Sneak Peek and Panel Discussion
One man can make a difference...When Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, is framed for murder and presumed killed, he assumes the identity of his son's favorite comic book superhero -- The Cape -- to reclaim his name, family, and his city from the ruthless ARK Corporation and the masked villain known as Chess. Join the cast and creators including David Lyons (ER), Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles), Dorian Missick (Six Degrees), James Frain (True Blood), Keith David (Gamer), Vinnie Jones (X-Men: Last Stand), Martin Klebba (Pirates of the Caribbean), composer Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica), creator/executive producer Thomas Wheeler (Empire), and showrunner/executive producer John Wirth (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) for this sneak peek at the pilot episode and panel discussion. A limited collector edition of The Cape comic book, with a cover by superstar artist John Cassady (Astonishing X-Men), will be given away at the panel. Room 6A
2:15-3:45 Miramax Films: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Producer/co-writer Guillermo del Toro and director Troy Nixey present a first look at their new film Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, a hair-raising, spine-chilling tale of horror about a little girl (Bailee Madison) who is sent to live with her father (Guy Pearce) and his girlfriend (Katie Holmes) in the old mansion they are renovating, only to unwittingly unleash malevolent creatures bent on destroying all of them. Hall H
2:30-3:30 Nickelodeon: Penguins, Lemurs, and Pandas, Oh My!
See Penguins of Madagascar executive producers Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley (Kim Possible), supervising producer Nick Filippi (Wolverine &amp; X-Men), creative consultant and voice of "Skipper" Tom McGrath (Madagascar 1 &amp; 2), and cast members John DiMaggio (Futurama), Jeff Bennett (The Misadventures of Flapjack), James Patrick Stewart (Wolverine &amp; X-Men), Danny Jacobs (Epic Movie), and Kevin Michael Richardson (The Cleveland Show) present highlights from the upcoming Penguins special "The Lost Treasure of the Golden Squirrel" and perform a table read from a new episode. Then get a special preview of the upcoming Nickelodeon series Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, presented by executive producer Peter Hastings (Pinky and the Brain), supervising producer Bret Haaland (The Penguins of Madagascar), supervising producer Randy Dormans (The Penguins of Madagascar), and supervising director Gabe Swarr (The Penguins of Madagascar). Moderated by Rich Magallanes, VP of animation for Nickelodeon, and Megan Casey, executive-in-charge for Nickelodeon. Room 5AB
3:00-3:45 The Joss Whedon Experience
Every year Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dollhouse, and Serenity, comes to Comic-Con to give fans a wide-ranging and digressive look into what's keeping him busy. Join Joss and a few thousand of his closest friends for the Q&amp;A. Spoiler Alert! Ballroom 20
3:15-4:15 Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Andy Whitfield (McLeod's Daughters) makes his Comic-Con debut, along with Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess), John Hannah (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor), and Viva Bianca (Bad Bush). Executive producer Stephen S. DeKnight (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) joins the cast to discuss the upcoming prequel, titled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, expected to air on Starz in January 2011, and the exclusive content found on the first season Blu-ray discs, available September 21. Room 6BCF
3:30-4:30 Terra Nova
Executive producers Brannon Braga (24, Star Trek: Enterprise) and David Fury (24, Lost), director Alex Graves, and star Jason O'Mara (Life on Mars) offer a glimpse into the highly anticipated epic family adventure 85 million years in the making. This new event drama slated for midseason on FOX comes from the brilliant minds of Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, The Pacific) and former News Corporation president and COO Peter Chernin and follows an ordinary family on an extraordinary journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a part of a massive expedition to save the human race. Room 6A
4:00-5:00 Entertainment Weekly: Girls Who Kick Ass: A New Generation of Heroines
EW moderates this discussion with Jena Malone (Sucker Punch), Anna Torv (Fringe), Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass), Adrianne Palicki (Red Dawn and Friday Night Lights), and Ellen Wong and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) about the next generation of female action heroes and the power and privilege of playing young women who are nobody's arm candy. Moderated by Nicole Sperling. Ballroom 20
4:00-6:00 Sony Pictures Entertainment: The Other Guys and The Green Hornet
Two more sneak peeks at upcoming films from Sony Pictures Entertainment!
The Other Guys -- NYPD Detectives Christopher Danson and P.K. Highsmith (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson) are the baddest and most beloved cops in New York City. Two desks over and one back, sit Detectives Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg). You've seen them in the background of photos of Danson and Highsmith, out of focus and eyes closed. They're not heroes -- they're "the Other Guys." But every cop has his day and soon Gamble and Hoitz stumble into a seemingly innocuous case no other detective wants to touch that could turn into New York City's biggest crime. It's the opportunity of their lives, but do these guys have the right stuff? Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, and co-writer/director Adam McKay will be appearing in person.The Green Hornet -- Director Michel Gondry, who makes movies with a special, personal signature, is taking on The Green Hornet—and he's doing it in 3D. Comic-Con audiences, prepare yourselves. In The Green Hornet, Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is the son of L.A.'s most prominent and respected media magnate and perfectly happy to maintain a directionless existence on the party scene—until his father (Tom Wilkinson) mysteriously dies, leaving Britt his vast media empire. Striking an unlikely friendship with one of his father's more industrious and inventive employees, Kato (Jay Chou), they see their chance to do something meaningful for the first time in their lives: fight crime. To get close to the criminals, they come up with the perfect cover: they'll pose as criminals themselves. Protecting the law by breaking it, Britt becomes the vigilante The Green Hornet as he and Kato hit the streets. Confirmed to appear in person to unveil this early look at The Green Hornet in 3D are the Hornet himself, Seth Rogen, director Michel Gondry, writer Evan Goldberg, producer Neal Moritz, and actor Christoph Waltz. Hall H
4:30-5:30 Adult Swim Panel Featuring Robot Chicken, Venture Bros, and Metalocalypse
Show creators Seth Green, Matt Senreich, and Tom Root (Robot Chicken), Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer (Venture Bros), and Brendon Small (Metalocalypse) discuss their original series, screen sneak peeks, and answer questions. Keith Crofford, VP of production at Adult Swim, will moderate. Room 6BCF
4:45-5:45 Falling Skies
They're coming. Get the very first look at Steven Spielberg's new series that envisions a world where aliens have invaded and the fate of humanity lies in the hands of a few survivors. Noah Wyle (ER, TNT's The Librarian movies) and Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) join co-executive producer and writer Mark Verheiden (Heroes, Battlestar Galactica) for a Q&amp;A on the new series. Falling Skies premieres on TNT next summer. Room 6A
5:00-6:00 Spotlight on Drew Struzan
See the premiere screening of excerpts from Drew: The Man Behind the Poster, a feature-length documentary film about the career of movie poster artist and Comic-Con special guest Drew Struzan, featuring exclusive interviews with George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Michael J. Fox, Frank Darabont, Guillermo del Toro, Steven Spielberg, and many others. Q&amp;A will include Struzan and filmmakers Erik Sharkey (director), Charles Ricciardi (producer), Greg Boas (editor and cinematographer), and Marc-Antoine Serou (cinematographer). Room 7AB
5:00-6:00 Girls Gone Genre: Movies, TV, Comics, Web
Meet and talk with women who write, read, game, and perform in arenas that are historically and statistically dominated by men. What's it like to try and get a job in a field where most of your competitors and colleagues are guys? Can women write men, and vice versa? And what happens when traditionally "male" genres are reinvented by female writers and embraced by female fans? Sex and the City it ain't! Meet the women who like to play with trucks and Barbies...and Wolverine action figures. And flux capacitors. Featuring Felicia Day (writer/producer, The Guild; actress, The Guild, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog), Kathryn Immonen (writer, Patsy Walker: Hellcat, Runaways, Heralds), Laeta Kalogridis (screenwriter/producer, Shutter Island, Ghost in the Shell, Avatar), Marti Noxon (screenwriter/producer, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Mad Men), Melissa Rosenberg (screenwriter/producer, Dexter, The Twilight Saga), and Gail Simone (writer, Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey).Moderated by Io9's Annalee Newitz. Room 24ABC
5:15-6:15 True Blood Panel and Q&amp;A session
Mixing romance, suspense, mystery, and humor, True Blood kicked off its 12-episode third season June 13 on HBO. The series, which has earned two Golden Globe nominations for Best Television Series—Drama, follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, Golden Globe winner for True Blood season one; Oscar-winner for The Piano), who can hear people's thoughts, and her soulmate, 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Alan Ball (creator of the Emmy-winning HBO series Six Feet Under) created and serves as executive producer of the series, which is based on the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. The series also features Nelsan Ellis as Lafayette Reynolds, Sam Trammell as Sam Merlotte, Rutina Wesley as Tara Thornton, Deborah Ann Woll as Jessica Hamby, Kristin Bauer van Straten as Pam, Denis O'Hare as Russell Edgington, the Vampire King of Mississippi, and Joe Manganiello as Alcide Herveaux. (Note: names in bold will be appearing on the panel.) Moderated by Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly. Ballroom 20
6:00-7:00 BBC America's Being Human
Creator/writer Toby Whithouse and cast members Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow, Aidan Turner, and Sinead Keenan are on stage for a fan Q&amp;A and exclusive inside peek at the new U.S. premiere season launching the same weekend as Comic-Con. The Los Angeles Times declared, "Buffy fans -- come out of the Twilight and sink your teeth into this import." Don't miss the chance to get the inside secrets on the double-lives of a werewolf, a vampire, and a ghost, joined this season by George's friend Nina, who's got a mysterious secret of her own. Room 6A
6:00-7:00 Archer
Creator and executive producer Adam Reed (Sealab 2021, Frisky Dingo) screens selected scenes from the FX animated series Archer, which recently won a NowNewNext Award for "Best Television Show You're Not Watching" from cable's Logo network. He will take questions from the audience along with Aisha Tyler, who provides the voice of Agent Lana Kane, the strong, voluptuous, and often exasperated secret agent. Adam and Aisha will discuss the evolution of the series as well as the voice-over process. Room 7AB
6:30-7:30 Thomas Jane and Tim Bradstreet's RAW Entertainment
Join the crew from RAW Entertainment as they discuss their exciting slate of current and upcoming projects in comics and film. Moderated by Thomas Jane (Hung, The Punisher), and Tim Bradstreet (The Punisher), panelists include Bernie Wrightson (Frankenstein), Bruce Jones (Twisted Tales), James Daly (Bad Planet), William Stout (Pan's Labyrinth), Mark Schultz (Cadillacs &amp; Dinosaurs), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), and a surprise guest! Room 4
6:30-7:30 TV Guide Magazine: The 2010 Hot List
Featuring the hottest supernatural/sci-fi talent in front of the camera and behind the scenes from new and returning series! Moderated by TV Guide magazine's executive editor Craig Tomashoff, the panel includes Morena Baccarin (V), Brannon Braga (Terra Nova, Flash Forward), Michael Chiklis (No Ordinary Family), Keith David (The Cape), Zachary Levi (Chuck), David Lyons (The Cape), Elizabeth Mitchell (V), Chi McBride (Human Target), and others to be announced! Ballroom 20
6:30-7:30 Old School American Horror
Featuring legendary horror icons and the hottest names in the genre, the cast of Hatchet II presents an old school American horror panel. Kane Hodder (Friday The 13th), Tony Todd (Candyman), R. A. Mihailoff (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Danielle Harris (Halloween), Tom Holland (Child's Play), and Adam Green (Hatchet) are on hand for an unforgettable panel. Room 32AB
7:30-8:30 Discovery Channel's Reign of the Dinosaurs
Immerse yourself in next spring's TV blockbuster, as an all-star crew reveal the secrets behind Discovery Channel's genre-busting journey back to the Prehistoric. Confirmed panelists include Iain McCaig (Star Wars), David Krentz (Disney's Dinosaur), and Ricardo Delgado (Dark Horse Comics' Age of Reptiles), all of whom will be pitching their stories live! Hosted by producer Erik Nelson (Grizzly Man), the panel goes deep behind the scenes for an in-depth look at how this landmark production is creating stories, characters, and digital models for the new standard in realistic dinosaur storytelling. A once-in-a-decade opportunity to be present at the creation of an epic miniseries. Room 6BCF
7:30-8:30 30 Days of Night: Dark Days
This highly anticipated sequel to the box office hit 30 Days of Night is based on the second book of the cult graphic novel series and will debut on Blu-ray and DVD this fall from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Director/co-screenwriter Ben Ketai (Dusk to Dusk), graphic novel creator/co-writer Steve Niles, stars Keile Sanchez (Lost), Diora Baird (TCM: The Beginning), and Rhys Coiro (Entourage, upcoming Straw Dogs), and producer J. R. Young (Ghosthouse) are on hand for an exclusive sneak peek, panel, and Q&amp;A session. Room 7AB
8:00-9:00 Anthropology of Twilight Zone
Daryl G. Frazetti (anthropologist, Western Nevada College) and Curtis Webster (Spirit of Star Trek host) examine Rod Serling's exploration of the ambiguity of reality as it relates to the human condition, exceeding cultural space/time constraints. This panel examines questions such as: What is the deeper cultural meaning of "perception"? What is the cultural meaning of myth? How might Twilight Zone function as myth? How do Sterling's insights speek to concepts of cultural and linguistic relativism? Don't miss this enthralling discussion on the mix of Serling's magic and science fiction as the presenters follow each twist and turn that moves the meanings of his stories into the mythical realm. Participation highly encouraged! Room 8
8:00-10:00 World Premiere: Batman: Under the Red Hood
Warner Home Video, Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Animation proudly present the World Premiere of Batman: Under the Red Hood, the eighth entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 movies. In the film, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. Killing is an option. And when The Joker falls in the balance between the two, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened. The stellar voice cast is led by Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek), Jensen Ackles (Supernatural), Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), John DiMaggio (Futurama), Jason Issacs (the Harry Potter films), and Vincent Martella (Phineas &amp; Ferb). Executive producer Bruce Timm (DCU films), director Brandon Vietti (Superman: Doomsday), award-winning comics writer Judd Winick, casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano (DCU films) and members of the voice cast will be around for a postscreening panel that will reveal details behind the making of the film, a glimpse of the 2011 DC Universe Animated Original Movies slate, and a first look at the next DCU film, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. Warner Home Video will distribute Batman: Under the Red Hood on Blu-Ray and DVD, OnDemand and For Download on July 27, 2010. Note: a second encore screening will take place in the same room beginning at 10:15. Ballroom 20
8:30-9:30 Ironclad Panel and Footage
A medieval Magnificent Seven that combines the visceral action of 300 with the impassioned heroism and romance of Braveheart, Ironclad is a violent action thriller that tells the true story of a motley crew of tough, battle hardened warriors, who withstood several brutal and bloody months under siege, in a desperate bid to defend their country’s freedom. Starring James Purefoy, Paul Giamatti, Brian Cox, Kate Mara, Jason Flemyng, and Derek Jacobi. Filmmakers Jonathan English (Minotaur), Andrew Curtis (Lost In La Mancha), and Rick Benattar (Shoot 'em Up) will screen an 11-minute battle sequence from the film and host a Q&amp;A afterward. Special surprise guests to appear! Room 7AB
9:30-10:30 The Blood Factory
To unlock the bone-chilling secrets of The Blood Factory, join Danny De Vito (actor/director/star of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), John Albo (writer/director of Flexing with Monty), Nick Bonamy (art director of The Blood Factory), "Tkay" Raul Garcia (website developer), Frank Ippolito (effects makeup, Pirates of the Caribbean 2 &amp; 3), and William Mesa (visual effects, Army of Darkness). Relish new short films from The Blood Factory: tales of horror that will conjure nightmares to disturb your sleep for nights to come. Room 5AB

WHAT IT’S ABOUT?
Claire is an attractive CIA operative and Ray is an M16 agent who simultaneously leave their Governmental spy activities in the dust to try and profit from a battle between two rival multi-national corporations both trying to launch a new product that will transform the world and make billions. Their goal is to secure the top-secret formula and get a patent before they are outsmarted. While their respective egomaniacal CEOs engage in an unending battle of wills and one-upmanship Claire and Ray start out conning and playing one another in a clever game of industrial espionage that is even more complicated due to their own long-term romantic relationship.
WHO’S IN IT?
Reuniting Closer co-stars Julia Roberts (as Claire) and Clive Owen (as Ray) turns out to be an inspired idea. They turn out to be the perfect pair oozing movie-star charm and electricity in this elaborate con-game that might have been the kind of thing Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant might have made in the '60s (in fact they did in Charade). Roberts with that infamous hairstyle back the way we like it and Owen looking great in sunglasses prove they have what it takes to navigate us through this ultra-complex plot in which no one is sure who they can trust at any given moment. They play it all in high style and the wit just flows as the story skirts back and forth during the period of five years. The supporting cast is well-chosen with juicy roles for Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti (out of their John Adams duds) as the two CEOs going for each other’s throats. Giamatti who sometimes has a tendency to overdo it is especially slimy here and great fun to watch.
WHAT’S GOOD?
Big-star studio movies today rarely take risks and often talk down to the audience but in Duplicity writer/director Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton) has crafted a complicated con-comedy that requires complete attention at all times just to keep up with the dense plot’s twists and turns. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a New York Times crossword puzzle and Gilroy and his top-drawer production team deliver a glossy beautiful-looking film that’s easy on the eyes hitting locations from Dubai to Rome to New York City.
WHAT’S BAD?
Like any good puzzle it sometimes can be frustrating putting it all together and Gilroy’s habit of taking us back in time and then inching forward gets a little confusing even with the on-screen chyron pointing out where we are at any given moment. Stick with it though and you will be well-rewarded.
FAVORITE SCENE:
A scene near the end where the formula must be found scanned and faxed in a matter of minutes is sweat-inducing edge-of-your-seat moviemaking and it provides the ultimate opportunity for Roberts and Owen to take the “con” to the next level. Another where Roberts uses a thong to try and trick Owen into admitting an affair he never had is also priceless and gets right to the heart of the game-playing.
GO OUT AND GET POPCORN WHEN ...
Never. Stock up during the coming attractions. If you miss a moment of this entertaining romp you might never figure it all out.

A billionaire TV producer (Robert Mammone) has a great idea for a reality show that he wants to put on the Internet and his goal is to beat the 40 million Super Bowl audience. He has compiled a crack team of young hip and immoral tech geeks directed by Goldman (Rick Hoffman) and puts cameras throughout a remote island where former prisoners are going to kill each other while audiences watch after shelling out the pay-per-view fee. The location is done on a remote secret island and the death row prisoners are bought from prisons around the world with the promise that the survivor gets to walk free. Among the contestants are a rogue Aussie named McStarley (Vinnie Jones) a martial arts expert (Masa Yamaguchi) a husband-and-wife team (Manu Bennett and Dasi Ruz) a monstrous killer who doesn't do much more than grunt (Nathan Jones) and others known only as The Italian The German and other monikers quickly forgotten. Enter the sole American Jack Conrad (Steve Austin) who's in a South American prison for some obscure reason and is recognized on TV by his wife (Madeleine West) who tries to save him. However it looks like Conrad is pretty good at helping himself. Don't expect the acting to be much more evolved than what could be seen among the World Wrestling Entertainment superstars especially since many of them were plucked from the ring to star in this morality tale. But Austin (who had in a strong cameo in Adam Sandler's Longest Yard) proves he has a sense of humor as well as strength. Vinnie Jones is ridiculously over-the-top as the Aussie who's the hand-picked winner of this game shown setting up alliances Survivor style only to turn on them later. The supporting cast are refreshingly entertaining but one-note caricatures both in the contest and running the contest. It's obvious that they aren't going to be around long but the actors do milk their tiny roles for every bit of attention they can get. Rick Hoffman as the brilliant camera mastermind of the project is both whiny sniveling and mean-spirited so when he joins some of the rest of the crew and suddenly develops a backbone and a conscience he ends up stealing the movie with his acerbic humor. But it's the understated American hero Conrad who holds a mirror up to the people who like to watch this stuff. Director Scott Wiper who co-wrote this story has also acted in similar movies like this (A Better Way to Die). It’s obvious he knows what he’s doing with The Condemned and develops a sense of voyeuristic angst like those of us who can't keep our eyes off a train wreck. Like the darkly subversive Belgian film Man Bites Dog the camera crew remains safely distant and remote until the reality directly involves them. Then the crew wonders "What the hell are we doing?" while the audience might be thinking "What the hell are we watching?" Much like Series 7: The Contenders Rollerball and other movies which show a dark and bloody near future this kind of reality doesn't seem too far away and maybe proves that movies which provide this type of gladiator spectacle target a certain segment of the human population who need to blow off steam.

Bobby Garfield (David Morse) returns to his small hometown to attend the funeral of his childhood friend and remembers the fateful summer in 1960 when his whole world changed. The story flashes back to when 11-year-old Bobby (Anton Yelchin) and his best friends Carol (Mika Boorem) and Sully-John (Will Rothhaar) capture the pure joy of youthfulness. When a mysterious stranger named Ted Brautigan (Anthony Hopkins) moves upstairs and starts to pay attention to Bobby the boy suddenly realizes what's truly missing from his life--the love of a parent. Bobby's mother Liz (Hope Davis) is embittered by the death of Bobby's father and shows little compassion for her son's growing needs. Ted fills a void with the boy opening his eyes to the world around him and helps Bobby come to terms with his real feelings for Carol--and his mother. But Ted also has some deep dark secrets of his own and Bobby tries hard to stop danger from reaching the old man.
The performances make the film especially in the genuine camaraderie of the kids. Yelchin Boorem and Rothhaar never deliver a false move with an easiness that makes us believe we are simply watching three 11-year-old children grow up together. Yelchin in particular is able to get right to the heart of this young boy who misses his father and clings to the only adult who will listen. And his scenes with Boorem simply break your heart. (Davis) does an admirable job playing a part none too sympathetic. She manages to show a woman whose been beaten down but who does truly love her son in her own way. Morse too is one of those character actors you can plug in any movie and get a performance worth noting. In Hearts you want to see more of him. Of course the film shines brightest when Hopkins is on the screen. It may not be an Oscar-caliber performance but the actor is unparalleled in bringing a character to life--showing the subtleties of an old man looking for some peace in his life.
If you are expecting the Stephen King novel you may be disappointed. Screenwriter William Goldman and director Scott Hicks (Shine) deftly extracted the King formula of telling a story through a child's eye and explaining how the relationships formed as a child shaped the adult later. Hicks did an amazing job with his young actors especially Yelchin and Boorem. But where the novel continued into a supernatural theme explaining Brautigan's fear of being captured by "low men in yellow coats" (a reference to King's The Dark Tower series) the movie downplayed the mystical elements instead giving real explanations for Brautigan's man-on-the-run. That was the one problem with Hearts--we needed more danger. Introducing men from another dimension may not have been the way to go but had there been more tension the film would have resonated more especially when Bobby risked his own safety to save Ted.

Could Madonna be digging out that white lacy wedding gown from her "Like a Virgin" days anytime soon?
Maybe. The pop diva reportedly told Britain's Mirror that marriage "may lie in the future" for she and her boyfriend, director Guy Ritchie ("Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels").
To be sure, the couple made their first big public outing at the premiere of the M One's new film, "The Next Best Thing". And she recently set up home in Ritchie's native London with 3-year-old daughter Lourdes.
In many a recent interview, the 41-year-old singer-actress has happily declared she's off the market but has been cagey about discussing that "Next Step" -- the one she took with Sean Penn 14 years ago. (Their marriage ended in 1989 after less than four years.)
"It's a serious relationship," she says of Ritchie, a reported 31, in this week's People magazine. "It's excellent. I have an enormous amount of respect for him as a person, his work, his talent. He's very bright."
But does she discuss wedding bells? She only says, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. If we get to it."
THE OUTSIDER: The film on his life may be up for seven Academy Awards, but "The Insider" himself -- one Jeffrey Wigand -- has yet to receive an invitation to the ceremony.
The controversial film's nods even include one for Russell Crowe, who portrays tobacco industry whistle-blower Wigand. Still, the real-life Wigand says no one from the production has said a word to him about Oscar night.
According to USA Today, Wigand called the Academy himself but was told the Oscar ceremony "wasn't the Super Bowl" and that tickets were in short supply.
Maybe Wigand needs to start hustling. Oscar buffs may recall that another controversial biopic figure, Hustler publisher Larry Flynt, wrangled an invite to the 1997 ceremonies through nominee Woody Harrelson, who played him in the nominated film"The People vs. Larry Flynt."
OSCAR WATCH: Okay, so Jeffrey Wigand doesn't have a ticket, but "Ally McBeal" vixen and future "Charlie's Angel" Lucy Liu does. She'll make her Oscar debut as a presenter at the March 26 ceremony.
In other Oscar news, Kenny Ortega has been named choreographer for the ABC telecast. Now we know that producers have promised no dance productions, so what will Kenny do? "Several special surprise sequences," the Academy promises. As long as this doesn't equate to a Lord of the Dance production or a Rob Lowe-Snow White duet, we're good.
QUICK TAKES: Jerry Seinfeld and new bride Jessica Sklar reportedly have bought Billy Joel's 12-acre honeymoon cottage in New York's exclusive East Hampton for $40 million. It's a Spanish-style manor house on the ocean with a guest house, a pool and a barn ...
... Claudia Schiffer and Tim Jeffries have set May 20 as the date for their nuptials, according to the German magazine Bild. They will marry in a small church on the Spanish island of Majorca. The New York Post adds that the supermodel may insist the London gallery owner sign a prenup ...
... "Spin City" cast member Michael Boatman isn't so happy about the show's upcoming move to Los Angeles to accommodate new star Charlie Sheen. On Wednesday's edition of Howard Stern's radio show, Boatman complained that the move will be disruptive to cast members whose families set roots in New York to work on the sitcom. "It's kind of a big mess," he said.
JUST CAUSE: "Today" host Katie Couric has joined forces with Hollywood stalwart Lilly Tartikoff and the Entertainment Industry Foundation to form the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance. The organization, officially launched Wednesday in New York, hopes to increase awareness of colon cancer and raise research funds.
Couric's husband, cable news legal analyst Jay Monohan, died of colon cancer in 1998, while Tartikoff's husband, NBC president Brandon Tartikoff, died of Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1997. The late Charles Schulz had agreed to participate in the campaign before his colon cancer-related death, and his family plans to carry out his commitment.
WEEKLY RUMOR ROUNDUP: A photograph of Jennifer Lopez in her plunging sheer green Versace dress was downloaded 642,917 times the day after the ceremony on the official Grammy Web site, and 1 million times by the following week, says the Post. We're afraid of what this means for future award-show dress codes ...
... Did they or didn't they? Sarah Michelle Gellar was seen on the arm of "Mission to Mars" star Jerry O'Connell many times in 1998 and 1999, but the vampire slayer told TV Guide: "No, [we didn't date]. We went to high school together." But when Fashion Wire Daily approached O'Connell, he said: "Yeah, I went out with Sarah, I did ... I wanted to keep going out with her! I was just too much of an idiot to keep it going. But I'm trying ... I'm working on my attention-span issues, I'm working on my commitment issues, I'm working on my communication issues." Didya hear that, Sarah?